Sugarcane
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is the main sources of sugar in India and holds a prominent position as a cash crop. India is the world’s largest consumer and the second largest producer of sugar. Nearly 11 crore people are directly or indirectly dependent on the sugar industry in the country. Sugarcane is one of the important commercial crops of India. It is one of the most important food-cum-cash crop grown in the country, providing employment to a larger number of people, in addition to earning considerable foreign exchange. Sugarcane represents a source for 75-80% of worldwide sugar production, with the majority of the rest being taken by sugar beet that is more suited to grow in Europe.
Problems faced by farmers
Labour costs represent slightly over 45 % of the total production cost. Cutting and loading costs represent the highest portion of the variable cost. Since the transporting of cane requires bulk carriage, growers may not always have sufficient family members to do the work, forcing them to hire extra workers for cutting and loading.
